With Hu Guan’s death, the Hongwu reign now had a complete set of ten prince consorts who died unnatural deaths, all by suicide or murder – the Hongwu reign only had twelve prince consorts total.
Currently, only the prince consorts of Princess Hanshan and Princess Ruyang, ranked at the bottom, remained trembling and alive. The youngest, Princess Baoqing, was only eight years old. Her birth mother Concubine Zhang Tai had died during the Jianwen reign, and she was currently being raised by Empress Xu, not yet betrothed.
Hu Guan’s death was inglorious – impeached by censors for visiting prostitutes and committing suicide from guilt. Such family scandals usually ended with claims of sudden illness and death.
But Emperor Yongle was too furious at Hu Guan’s actions to cover for him. He ordered court historians to record Hu Guan’s death truthfully, leaving behind eternal infamy to be scorned by posterity.
Princess Nankang was not only heartbroken but also thoroughly disgraced, increasingly shutting herself away to live with her son Hu Zhong.
Ji Gang apologized to Jiang Quan: “Originally I intended to catch the rat while minimizing damage to the precious vase. I didn’t expect His Majesty’s great fury – his refusal to cover up Hu Guan’s death still injured Princess Nankang’s reputation.”
Having weathered many storms with broad perspective and open mind, Jiang Quan said: “This isn’t Director Ji’s fault. Short pain is better than long pain – this outcome is already quite good. Nankang has mediocre qualities. Her shutting herself away from imperial family disputes might be a blessing in disguise. Zhong’er is plump and adorable – Nankang will gradually recover. When Zhong’er grows up, past events will be forgotten. He’ll marry and have children – a new generation. Compared to many women, Nankang’s life has been fortunate.”
Ji Gang deeply admired Jiang Quan’s magnanimity and far-sighted perspective: “The Crown Prince’s eldest son has returned. Despite his young age, he’s both literary and martial, clever-minded, skilled at reading expressions, and deeply favored by His Majesty, who permits him free access to the study – something even the Crown Prince cannot do. The Eastern Palace has won a beautiful comeback through the Crown Prince’s eldest son. Many people are quite disappointed and calculating in their hearts. Imperial family struggles are endless. It’s good that Female Official Jiang and Nankang shut themselves away from the world – fewer troubles. From my observations these past years, every member of the Yongle imperial family is no ordinary person. Who knows what storms of blood and wind await?”
Jiang Quan nodded: “We won’t provoke any side, avoiding bringing fire upon ourselves.”
Jiang Quan’s concerns were well-founded.
The Yongle reign had just begun, yet struggles between princes were already emerging.
Emperor Yongle and Empress Xu had three sons: eldest son Zhu Gaochi, second son Zhu Gaoxu, and third son Zhu Gaosui. By birth, all were from the same mother, legitimate sons of the primary wife, but dragons bear nine different sons.
Zhu Gaochi’s personality was as mild as his fat, preferring literature to martial arts, though limited by natural talent – his literary achievements reached at most the provincial graduate level.
Zhu Gaoxu resembled Emperor Yongle in appearance and bearing, brave and skilled in battle. During the Jingnan Campaign, he followed his father charging into battle throughout, achieving great merit and several times rescuing his father from danger – he was Emperor Yongle’s favorite son.
Zhu Gaosui looked like his second brother and shared his personality, admiring his second brother’s talents, constantly praising him and taking him as a role model – he was second brother’s follower.
So imperial family struggles were actually contests between eldest son Zhu Gaochi and second son Zhu Gaoxu. Judging by the two sons’ capabilities, the eldest was at absolute disadvantage.
Two years ago when Emperor Yongle conquered the capital and ascended the throne, he immediately made his wife Xu empress. Simultaneously, to demonstrate his orthodox legitimacy, he simply altered the birth records of the first five princes including himself, erasing traces of birth mother Noble Consort Shuo, making former Crown Prince Zhu Biao and the first five princes all children of Filial and Compassionate Empress Ma – since the first three were dead anyway. He ranked fourth but became eldest, with fifth-ranked Prince Zhou Zhu Shu as his biological younger brother – if he didn’t become emperor, who would?
Emperor Yongle used thunderous methods to consolidate his and his wife’s positions. Next came appointing the heir apparent crown prince.
According to “Imperial Ming Ancestral Instructions,” when legitimate sons exist, establish the legitimate; when none exist, establish the eldest. The Yongle reign had no illegitimate sons. Zhu Gaochi was the legitimate eldest son, previously enfeoffed as Prince Yan’s heir by Emperor Gaozhu – he was naturally crown prince material.
However, Zhu Gaoxu had followed his father fighting all the way to the capital. Throughout the entire Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Gaochi never left Beijing. During the Beijing defense, Zhu Gaochi’s wives Zhang and Guo donned armor, took up weapons, and joined mother-in-law Empress Xu on the city walls fighting enemies, while he, due to obesity and inconvenience, stayed safely in the rear without a drop of blood on his hands.
With Zhu Gaochi absent from the capital, many officials wanting to pledge allegiance and choose sides couldn’t even find his door – how could they support him?
Thus Zhu Gaoxu, being in the capital, gained the advantage of proximity. His mansion overflowed with visitors, quickly controlling a large group of officials who waved flags, shouted support, and submitted memorials backing Zhu Gaoxu as crown prince.
Third brother Zhu Gaosui also reached the capital, supporting second brother.
Emperor Yongle favored his second son most – after all, who wouldn’t love the son who saved his life? Eldest son Zhu Gaochi was obese and frequently ill. Emperor Yongle also worried about future instability if the heir apparent was weak, preferring to establish the healthy, brave, skilled second son as heir.
But though Zhu Gaochi’s health was poor, he wasn’t dead. According to succession law, the eldest son should inherit.
Emperor Yongle felt conflicted, delaying crown prince investiture.
If anyone else heard their father considering changing the heir apparent, they would have rushed to the capital long ago, winning over officials to wave flags and compete with their brother for the succession.
But Zhu Gaochi wasn’t ordinary – he was a fat man with a broad heart and broad body. Throughout the entire first year of Yongle, he did nothing – just remained in Beijing with his wives caring for his critically ill mother Empress Xu!
Several doctors proved useless. Empress Xu had been injured during the Beijing defense. Having barely seen her husband become emperor, she received news of her two brothers’ successive deaths at the Wei Duke’s mansion. Her condition worsened.
Zhu Gaochi focused entirely on his mother’s illness, ignoring all capital rumors and gossip. He searched everywhere for medicine, sending people to seek help from his Fifth Imperial Uncle Prince Zhou Zhu Shu, who was skilled in medicine and devoted to medical texts.
Zhu Shu recommended two doctors who had assisted in his book compilation: Imperial Physician Tan and Pharmacist Ru and his wife.
This divine couple applied their lifetime knowledge, rescuing Empress Xu from death’s brink.
After Empress Xu’s recovery, only then did Zhu Gaochi bring his mother and wives belatedly from Beijing to the capital.
Seeing Empress Xu’s radiant appearance and noticing eldest son Zhu Gaochi seemed somewhat thinner, Emperor Yongle recognized his eldest son’s pure filial heart, immediately casting aside prejudices against him and immersing himself in joy at reunion with Empress Xu.
Subsequently, Zhu Gaochi’s concubine Li bore him a son. What did this prove? It showed that though Zhu Gaochi was rather fat, his health was fine – could poor health get a concubine pregnant? Right.
All of Zhu Gaochi’s flaws – incompetence and poor health – vanished. Combined with his legitimate eldest son status, Emperor Yongle no longer hesitated. With a grand gesture, he immediately enfeoffed eldest son Zhu Gaochi as crown prince, with the whole family moving to the Eastern Palace.
Thus Zhu Gaochi, through masterful maneuvering, effortlessly obtained the crown prince position that second brother Zhu Gaoxu had fought for all year.
Powerless, talentless, lacking looks, and utterly ruined by obesity, Zhu Gaochi perfectly fit the villainous boss character in romance novels, yet he completely overwhelmed Zhu Gaoxu, who had power, talent, looks, eight-pack abs, and long legs – the perfect romance novel male lead.
In the second year of Yongle, besides enfeoffing Zhu Gaochi as crown prince, Zhu Gaoxu was made Prince Han and Zhu Gaosui Prince Zhao, settling the succession struggle.
A fat man’s counterattack – curing his mother’s illness and getting his concubine pregnant earned him the Eastern Palace, completely breaking established palace intrigue patterns and establishing the Yongle court’s unpredictable, dramatically reversing political tone.
Immediately after being enfeoffed as crown prince, Zhu Gaochi requested Emperor Yongle bring eldest son Zhu Zhanji back from Yunnan. His own son – it was fine when they were in Beijing before, but now that he was crown prince with the whole family moved to the capital, it was time to bring his eldest son home.
Zhu Zhanji traveled day and night returning to the palace, arriving just in time for the annual Dragon Boat Festival spring outing and willow-shooting activity, which all military officials and imperial family members must attend. Even the plump crown prince was no exception. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices, responsible for selecting horses, was worried to death – finding a horse that could bear the crown prince’s weight was truly difficult!
Given the crown prince’s build, riding a bull would be more suitable.
Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu, skilled in martial arts, thought his chance had come! He would definitely perform well during willow shooting, thoroughly trampling eldest brother crown prince’s dignity underfoot.
Competition began. The crown prince, having the most noble status, went first. He rode a white steed that was panting heavily with a lifeless expression, walking over under the willow shade.
He walked rather than ran because the crown prince was simply too fat – the white horse managing a quick walk was already impressive; it couldn’t run at all.
The crown prince sitting on top looked like a McFlurry ice cream cone – fat-based ice cream piled on top, with a thin, fragile cone below, like the white horse’s slender legs.
Everyone knew the crown prince was fat, but didn’t know he could be this fat. Usually standing together, excess flesh was hidden under loose robes, barely acceptable. But once mounted, it became like public execution – the crown prince turned horseback riding into a parade of shame. His flesh bounced with the white horse’s walking rhythm, every bit of fat exposed under sunlight with nowhere to hide.
Even his father Emperor Yongle couldn’t bear to watch. Prince Han and Prince Zhao exchanged knowing glances.
Prince Han praised: “Crown Prince eldest brother has improved from before – he couldn’t ride horses at all before, now he can sit on a horse and run a couple steps.”
Prince Zhao nodded: “Yes, Crown Prince eldest brother has gotten somewhat thinner recently.”
This was thinner? How fat was he before!
Emperor Yongle, who had won the realm from horseback, couldn’t watch anymore. After all, this was his own son, the nation’s crown prince – did public humiliation look good?
Emperor Yongle waved his hand: “Shoot quickly – no need to ride the horse.”
The white horse’s four legs began trembling, barely supporting the mountain of flesh on its back.
Zhu Gaochi struggled to withdraw a white-feathered arrow from his back quiver, nocking it on the string. His head and face dripped with sweat, including his palms, as if he’d taken a bath. During shooting, his hand slipped – the first arrow missed completely.
The scene fell into dead silence. The crown prince was heir apparent after all – when the crown prince embarrassed himself, no one dared laugh, only maintaining silence.
For the second arrow, Zhu Gaochi learned his lesson, first wiping his palm’s sweat on his clothes before beginning to shoot. He barely hit the target’s edge.
For the third arrow, Zhu Gaochi’s arm had lost strength. The arrow was weak and feeble, falling to the ground before reaching the target.
Mission completed. With four sturdy palace servants’ assistance, Zhu Gaochi dismounted to rest, instructing the Court of Imperial Sacrifices official leading the horse: “This horse worked hard – give it extra feed when you return.”
Nearby, Empress Xu said to Emperor Yongle: “The crown prince is a kind child. Despite exhausting himself like that, he still thinks of the horse.”
In a mother’s eyes, no matter how big or fat, he was still her child. Moreover, when she suffered from both illness and grief over her brothers’ deaths, the crown prince was the only child who stayed by her side.
Hearing this, Emperor Yongle’s heart softened, swallowing all his reproaches for the crown prince.
Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu’s turn arrived. He immediately began his performance, galloping on horseback so fast that only the shadow of man and horse could be seen under green willows. Three swishing arrows – all hit the bullseye.
Prince Zhao Zhu Gaosui was first to applaud, with the crowd following in cheers.
Emperor Yongle’s furrowed brow relaxed. He granted Zhu Gaoxu prizes and praised before his ministers: “This son most resembles me.”
Emperor Yongle was embarrassed to praise himself directly, but saying his second son resembled him was effectively self-praise by extension.
The ministers were all cunning old foxes who praised Prince Han profusely. Emperor Yongle listened with great satisfaction.
Prince Zhao Zhu Gaosui also hit three targets. Next came imperial family prince consorts. Of the Hongwu reign’s twelve prince consorts, only two remained. After they finished, came Yongle reign prince consorts:
Emperor Yongle’s eldest daughter Princess Yong’an’s consort, Marquis Guangping Yuan Rong.
Second daughter Princess Yongping’s consort, Marquis Fuyang Li Rang – the Li family was particularly cherished by Emperor Yongle because Li Rang refused to surrender and his entire family was exterminated by Emperor Jianwen, making him currently the most favored prince consort.
Third daughter Princess Ancheng’s consort, Marquis Xining’s heir Song Hu.
These three prince consorts were all from military families, brave and skilled warriors who achieved brilliant merits during the Jingnan Campaign – all three hit perfect shots.
Additionally, Emperor Yongle had two more daughters who were still young and unbetrothed.
Emperor Yongle was in excellent spirits, nodding frequently and richly rewarding his three sons-in-law.
After the prince consorts finished, came the grandchildren’s turn.
First to appear was naturally Crown Prince’s eldest son Zhu Zhanji.
Honestly, when Zhu Zhanji first appeared, no one was optimistic about him.
Because he was too thin. After returning home, the Crown Princess supplemented his nutrition, but nutrients had their own ideas – instead of building flesh, they all went toward height growth, making him shoot up like bamboo.
For convenient riding and archery, Zhu Zhanji changed into narrow-sleeved, fitted riding clothes with a leather belt cinching his waist tightly. Mounted on horseback, his body rose and fell with the horse’s galloping rhythm. His slim waist seemed ready to snap – like a long-legged mantis riding a horse.
Gripping his bow and arrows, Zhu Zhanji immediately entered a selfless state, ignoring everyone’s gazes. Following the steps Mu Chun had taught him, he adjusted his breathing, felt wind direction changes, withdrew all three feathered arrows from his quiver, nocked them on the string, and shot three arrows simultaneously – all three hit their marks.
Author’s Note: Zhu Gaochi’s greatest advantage was his son Zhu Zhanji.
Zhu Zhanji’s greatest advantage was the Chun-Wei couple.